Game apparatus



(No Model.)v

W. FULD.

GAME APPARATUS.

No. 479,266. Patented July 19, 1892.

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UNITED STATES PATENT rricn.

VILLIAM FULD, OF lAL-TlMOE, MARYLAND.

GAME'APPARATUS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 479,266, dated July 19, 1892.

Application led March 28, 1892.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM FULD, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Baltimore, in the State of Maryland, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Game Apparatus; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, which'will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification, and in which- Figure l is a plan view of the table which forms part of my improved game, showing the pointer in position. Fig. 2 is a perspective view of this pointer removed from the table and showing it on an enlarged scale. Fig. 3 is a top View of the pointer showing in dotted lines some of its adjustments; and Fig. 4 is a sectional view through one of the legs of the y pointer, together with the adjacent sides of the side bars of the pointer-frame.

Like letters of reference denote corresponding parts in all the figures.

This invention relates to parlor-games of that type in Which a small disk 0r table of wood or other suitable material is placed upon a larger platform or table, which is marked with letters, numerals, and other characters, as the fancy of the maker may dictate. The persons (usually two in number) playing the game then place the tips of their iingers upon the small table, which will presently begin to move across the polished surface of the tabletop on which it rests and one of the legs or supports of this small traveling table, known as the linger, will then, as the pointer moves across the larger table, point to certain of the letters, numerals, or other figures with which the table is covered, and in this Way, as the pointer or traveling table moves across the larger table in all directions, its iinger will successively point to various of the numbers or characters, which are then supposed to spell out certain Words. In this Way much amusement and entertainment is procured at little expense, the usual way of playing the game being by one of the players asking the board a certain question and by then keeping perfectly still, but with the tips of the ngers resting lightly upon the pointer. The

supports of the device.

Serial No. 426,817. (No model.)

board is supposed to answer the question by the words which are spelled out as the pointer moves across the table.

My invention relates to the improved construction of the movable table or pointer, which will be hereinafter described, and whereby I not only greatly increase the strength of that device, but make its operation much easier and make it possible for the board to answer several questions at one time, as well as to have it put its own questions instead of simply supplying answers to questions put by the players.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, the letter A designates the stationary table, the top of which should be made verysmooth and polished. In practice l prefer to make this table by putting together sidewise several parts of well-seasoned wood, forming the iiat body of the table, which is then covered on both sides bythin pieces of veneer. The upper side is then planed off very smooth and sandpapered, after which it is buffed and polished, so as to make it very smooth and slippery. Upon the surface thus prepared is painted a number of words or figures, the arrangement of which is wholly arbitrary. All the letters of the alphabet must be used, however, and these maybe arranged in the shape of ahorseshoe, and preferably in the middle of the table, as shown on my drawings. The days of the week may be placed at opposite ends. The Words Yes7 and No should also be used, and any other adverbs or words may be used. As above stated, the construction of this board forms no part of my invention, and the nature as well as arrangement of the Words painted thereon are entirely arbitrary. But instead of constructing the movable table or pointer of a single disk or piece of Wood I construct the same in the nature of a light frame composed of four side pieces B, C, D,

and E, forming a parallelogram with sides of equal length. These sides are connected to one another by pins F, forming the legs or Through the center of each of these pins passes a small metallic rod G, (formed conveniently by cutting a piece of thick Wire into suitable lengths,) and the upper ends of these rods project through apertures g, bored through the ends of the side pieces. A cap H, of wood or metal, is

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screwed or otherwise fastened upon the projecting upper end of rod G, as shown more clearly in Fig. 4, and the ends of the parallel side pieces B and D are covered with metal plates I, through which holes are bored for the passage of the rods G. These metallic platesI are connected in pairs by magnetized connecting-wires J, and the two other side pieces C and E, which are not provided with end plates, are similarly reinforced by magnetized steel wires J', the ends of which are bent or looped so asto form an eye j, encircling the rod G. Thus it willl be seen that this rod G is in metallic contact with both sets of magnetzed Wires J J and J J', through the medium or intervention of the end plates I I and wire loops j, which impinge upon the sides of rods G.

The lower end of each of the pins or legs -Fis covered with a thin disk or shoe f, of felt, so that it will move easily over the polished top of tableA with a minimum of friction and without scratching. Each corner of the frame is marked with anumeral l, 2, 3, and 4, and before beginning the game one or two of these numerals are selected by the players as designating the lingers by means of which questions are to be asked or answered of and by the board. This having been arranged, the players seat themselves on opposite sides of the board A, upon which the frame is placed, the players allowing their hands to rest upon the frame by letting the tips of the lingers of both hands rest lightly upon the side bars of the frame, one player, for example, placing the tips lof the ngers of the left hand upon bar E and those of the right hand upon bar D, while the player at the opposite side of the table lets the tips of the fingers of the leftlhand rest lightly upon the top of bar C and those of the'right hand upon bar B, care being taken by both players that the tips of their ngers shall rest upon the Wires .I and J A question is now asked, and bythe involuntary muscular motion of the hands of the players, or through some other agency, the frame will commence to move across the table. If now the finger marked by the number l has been selected as the tin ger which is to spell out the answer, then the answer of the board is obtained by placing in succession the letters or numerals to which this fin ger l points successively during the travels of the pointer-frame upon the table. Any letters pointed to by the other finger (marked 2 will, when placed together in proper order, form words which constitute questions that the players must answer before the board will reply to the preceding question. As the corners of the frame which form the pointer are jointed or connected loosely, the frameis capable of being extended longitudinally, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 8, so that questions maybe answered or asked by the board not only by the bodily motion of the whole pointer or frame upon the table, but by the adjustments of the frame itself, so that while one of the legs may remain stationary upon table A yet questions may be asked and answered by the motion of any one of the other legs which shall have been designated as a questioning or answering finger.

Without going into the question whether thev magnetizing of the longitudinal wires J and J and the end plates I aiects the operation of the device, there can be no question that they greatly strengthen the frame and make the same much stronger and more durable than it would be without them, each wire being fastened down upon its appropriate wooden bar or piece by means of small staples b. These wires, by projecting above the dat surface of the side bars of the frame, also form convenient holds for the tips of the ngers placed thereon, so that the ingerswill not readily slip od of the smooth bars as the frame moves across the table. When the hands are held for any length of time in such a position that the finger-tips will point downward, the blood is apt to run to the finger-tips and cause perspiration, so that, especially if the frame moves rapidly, the fingers are apt to slip off the frame, which would i make a break and spoil the game; but the liability of such an accident is greatly reduced by these wires, which form a good hold for the lingers.

Having thus described my invention, I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United Statesl. In aparlor game of the described type, a pointer-frame composed offour sides jointed loosely togetherat their ends and provided at their jointed ends or corners with legs of suitable height, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

2. The jointed pointer-frame for parlorgames of the type described, consisting of the four side bars having'metallic plates I I, the reinforcing-wires J and J', the legsor fingers F, metallic rods G, inserted through said legs, and the caps I-I, all constructed and combined t-o operate substantially as and for the purpose shown and set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereunto afiixed my signature in presence of two witnesses.

WILLIAM FULD.

Witnesses:

AUGUST PETERSON, ARTHUR B. SEIBoLD. 

